Allocution Sunday, May 23, Feast of Pentecost
Thank you to everyone who makes this radio broadcast possible, today, Sunday, May 23, Feast of Pentecost or Coming of the Holy Spirit, which we celebrate 50 days after Easter Sunday. The first reading of the liturgy is taken from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2 verses 1 and following.
(GOSPEL)
Who is the Holy Spirit? Jesus insistently announces the coming of someone, a divine person who will change us and make it possible for us to live like Him. Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit, defense lawyer, will be with his followers and exhorts us to ask God the Father for it. When you have to give a reason for your Faith before the powerful, it will not be you who speak, but the spirit of God will speak for you. This same Spirit will make all disciples of all times understand the teaching of Jesus and the meaning of God’s action in all the events of history.
The hour of the Spirit has arrived on the day of Pentecost. Gathered in the same place, suddenly a noise from heaven, like a strong wind, resonated throughout the house and tongues of fire appeared spread over each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. The apostles lose their panic and announce that Jesus has risen in less than a century to the then known world. The Holy Spirit has also been given to us, we have received it in baptism and it has been confirmed in us in the sacrament of Confirmation and it transforms us in a progressive interior way, to such a point that we can say: “I live but not me, it is Christ who lives in me.”
The Holy Spirit comes every day upon the Church and people of good will. You count on his inspiration and his gifts, let yourself be guided by him. The Holy Spirit, creator of the works of God, is the teacher of prayer and is the one who reveals to us the meaning of the Bible that he himself inspired. He is the third person of the Holy Trinity. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are three distinct persons and one true God. With the universal Church we manifest our Faith: I believe in the Holy Spirit, Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son receives the same adoration and glory, and who spoke through the prophets.
Today, with the universal Church we pray an ancient prayer to the Holy Spirit. Pray and repeat with me:
Come, divine Spirit, send your light from heaven.
Loving father of the poor; gift, in your splendid gifts;
light that penetrates the souls; source of greatest comfort.
Come, sweet guest of the soul, rest from our effort,
respite in the hard work, breeze in the hours of fire,
joy that wipes away tears and comforts in mourning.
Enter to the depths of the soul, divine light, and enrich us.
Look at the emptiness of man, if you are missing him inside;
see the power of sin, when you do not send your breath.
Water the land in drought, heal the sick heart,
washes away the stains, infuses the warmth of life into the ice,
tame the untamed spirit, guide the one who twists the path.
Distribute your seven gifts, according to the faith of your servants;
For your goodness and your grace, give the effort its merit;
Save him who seeks to be saved and give us your eternal joy.
AMEN.
(SINGING)
Saint Paul’s letter to the Christians of Galatia tells us in chapter 5 verses 22 to 26:
(GOSPEL)
Many years ago there lived on the Isle of Youth a wise grandfather, who was said to have kept a great secret in an enchanted chest that made him a winner in all aspects of his life, and that is why he considered himself the happiest man. of the world. Many neighbors offered him money and even tried to steal the chest, but everything was in vain. And the more they tried, they could never achieve it. One day the eldest grandson said to his grandfather: “Grandpa, just like you I also want to be immensely happy, why don’t you teach me what I have to do to achieve it?” The wise grandfather, seeing the simplicity and purity of his grandson, told him: “I will teach you the secret to being happy. Come with me and pay close attention. In reality there are two chests where I keep the secret to being happy. These chests are my mind and my heart. And the great secret to being happy is none other than a series of steps that you must follow throughout life. The first step is to know that there is the presence of God in all things in life and, therefore, you must love him and thank him for everything he has. The second step is to love yourself and every day, when you get up and go to bed, affirm, “I am important, I am worth it, I am capable, I am intelligent, I am loving, I expect a lot from myself and there are no obstacles that I cannot overcome because I am God’s best creation.” The third step is to put into practice everything you say you are, that is, if you think you are intelligent, act intelligently by studying and getting good grades; If you think you are capable, do it, doing all your activities well; If you think you are affectionate, show yourself as such in your dealings with others; If you think that there are no obstacles that you cannot overcome, then set goals in life and fight for them until you achieve them. The fourth step is that you should not envy anyone for what they have or for what they are. They achieved their goal, you achieve yours. The fifth step is that resentment should not be a guest in your heart, that feeling will not allow you to be happy. Let the laws of God do justice, you forgive and forget. The sixth step is that you should not take things that do not belong to you. The seventh step is that you should not mistreat anyone. All beings in this world have the right to be respected and loved. And finally, always wake up with a smile on your lips, look around you and discover the good and beautiful side in all things. Think about how lucky you are to have what you have. Help others without thinking that you will receive something in return. Look at people and discover their qualities in them and also give them the secret to being a winner and in this way they can be happy.
The grandfather, full of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and also full of the groups of the Holy Spirit, left the best inheritance to his grandchildren.
(SINGING)
A few years ago there was a television program in which an artist invited children to doodle on a sheet of paper. Then the artist would create something very cute using those doodles. One squiggle became a girl’s ponytail, another became a boy’s arm. In a sense that is what God wants from us. God wants us to take our weaknesses, our doodles and turn them into something beautiful, God wants to do even more. God wants to unite us with Jesus, give us the power of the Holy Spirit and turn us into living temples of the divine presence in our world and make us all one big family. Come Holy Spirit.
(SINGING)
Joy is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Saint John Paul II from heaven tells us:
“Young people are now and always bearers and transmitters of Christian joy. Carry Christian joy in your hearts, joy that springs from Faith serenely accepted, intensely deepened through personal meditation and study of the Word of God and the teachings of the Church, dynamically lived in union with God in Christ, in prayer and in the constant practice of the sacraments. Bring Christian joy to the environment in which you normally live, your families, your friends… Be transmitters singing the joy of living, of being at peace with yourself, with others and with God. Communicate joy by being sincere friends and brothers of Jesus. Bring joy by carrying out the teachings of the Gospel. Give joy to the elderly, who sometimes seem to have lost the sense of true joy. Joy is the essential element of the Gospel. I wish you this joy and at the same time be more and more messengers of the joy of Christ.”
(SINGING)
We pray with Saint Augustine:
“Breathe into me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may be all holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, so that my work too may be holy. Seduce me, O Holy Spirit, to love only what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Keep me therefore, O Holy Spirit, so that I may always be holy.” AMEN.
We pray with the Pope and the Catholics of the Shrine of Our Lady of the Cape in Canada, for the end of the pandemic and particularly for law enforcement, the military and firefighters.
“Hail Mary, full of grace; The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among all women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.” AMEN.
And may the blessing of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit descend on all the sick, on all those who care for and care for them, and remain forever. AMEN.
(SINGING)